This Automat has something wrong with the focusing rack gear. All close work OK til it comes to ~50 foot, and then it tilts to one side -- you can see it. It does not affect anything except vanishing points, being far less "shift" than my Linhof is capable of... Still, I know it is there. I just thought the man whose machine was "never in focus" might have a shifted element... P.J. Nebergall On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:47:37 -0700 "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes: > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peter J Nebergall" <iusar4s@xxxxxxxx> > To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 6:59 AM > Subject: [rollei_list] Re: a little unparallel of lens panel > > > >I have an Automat that is mildly out at infinity. That > >"not focus at any > > distance," I suspect is a shifted lens element." > > P.J. Nebergall > > > Do you mean that nothing in any picture is in focus or > that the finder and taking lenses are never in focus at the > same time? If the first, there is something wrong with the > taking lens. If the second, the taking and finder lenses are > out of coincidence. The first could happen but is unlikely, > if this is the problem check to see that both lens cells are > screwed in all the way. The second problem requires > adjusting the finder lens focus. The difficulty is that the > covering of the lens board must be removed. Coincidence can > be set at any distance. Once set the two lenses should track > at all distances. Infinity focus is set for both lenses by > the infinity stop, which is part of the focus knob. The knob > fastens to the focus axel by means of a sort of collet. This > setting can be done on most Rolleis by taking the cover off > the focus knob and on cameras with built in lightmeters by > taking the lightmeter indicator off the knob. > It could also be caused by the focus screen not being > seated correctly. In the Automat, and other models with > non-removable focus screens the screen is referenced to the > inside surface of the focus hood and is held against it a > couple of flat springs. It is possible for the screen to > become cocked slightly. Sometimes just pushing in on the > screen with a finger (or eraser end of a pencil) and > jiggling it a little will get it seated right. > I think the only element in either lens that can be > gotten back incorrectly is the middle element of the viewing > lens. It can be installed reversed. The finder image is then > awful. The middle element is biconcave with almost, but not > quite, equal curvature on either side so its hard to tell > visually which side is which. > > --- > Richard Knoppow > Los Angeles, CA, USA > dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > --- > Rollei List > > - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into > www.freelists.org > > - Online, searchable archives are available at > //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > > --- Rollei List - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Online, searchable archives are available at //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list